Sectional boat



J 1954 H. ENGENSPERGER 353 SECTIONAL BOAT Filed Dec. 1 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 6

Hansjfirg Engensperger Attorney.

Jan. 26, 1954 H. ENGENSPERGER 2,666,933

SECTIONAL BOAT Filed Dec. 1, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR HANS'JURG ENGENSPERGER BY Kfl Attorne 1954 H. ENGENSPERGER 2,666,933

SECTIONAL BOAT Filed Dec. 1, 1950 I s Sheets-Sheeo 3 37 mNsJimG ENGENSPERGER ATTOHNE Patented Jan. 26, 195 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE The present invention relates to a sectional boat having a rigid hull and consisting of a plurality of individual sections which can be conveniently connected and separated.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a boat, more particularly a sport boat, consisting of a plurality of individual transverse section which are obtained by splitting cross ribs in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the boat, the sections being formed by distal halves of cross ribs interconnected by rigid hull portions and having such a shape that, upon disassembly of the boat, individual rigid sections can be nested one into another for transport purposes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide improved joint means for disconnectably interconnecting the halves of cross ribs which are proximal when the sections of a boat as set forth in the paragraph next above are in normal operating position.

The length of the boat according to the invention can be varied by interconnecting a greater or lesser number of transverse sections.

Water-tightness of the joints between adjacent cross rib halves is obtained by inserting a strand of packing in a groove in the face or faces of one or both adjacent cross rib halves, which strand projects from the grooves in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the boat before the neighboring rib halves are tightened together, for example, by screws. The latter are constructed for attachment to one of the rib halves so that they cannot be lost. The packings and adjoining surfaces of rib halves are so constructed that the surfaces abut upon tightening of the screws and the packings have no part in transmitting stresses when the boat is in normal use.

Further and other objects of the present invention will b hereinafter set forth in the accompanying specification and claims, and shown in the drawings which, by way of illustration, show what I now consider to be preferred embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a sectional boat according to the invention designed for two persons;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the boat according to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the boat illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 with the center sections removed so that it seats one person;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the boat shown in Fig. 3;

Fig, 5 is a side view of a boat according to the invention elongated to accommodate four persons by the insertion of additional center sections;

- spective boat section.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the boat shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a large scale part sectional View of a means according to the invention for joining adjacent boat sections;

Fig. 8 is a side view of a part of the means illustrated in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is an axial longitudinal section of a unit of nested boat sections packed for transport;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the unit illustrated in Fig.9;

Fig. 11 is a side view of a motorized boat according to the invention;

Fig. 12 is a side view of a sailboat according to the invention.

Like parts are designated by like numerals in all figures of the drawings.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the boat whose hull may be made of light sheet metal consists of transverse sections to I0, which are disconnectably con nected. A flange H is provided at each end of a section, as can be seen in Fig. 7. The section of the flange has the shape of a U whose legs extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the boat and toward the center of their re- The webs of adjacent flanges abut one another when the boat is assembled and have substantially semicircular grooves 13 at their outer faces and in the neighborhood of the outside of the boat, the axial ends of the hull material l2 being bent around the outer edges of the flanges and into the grooves [3. A strand it of packing material, for example rubber, is inserted in the groove IS. The crosssection of the uncompressed strand M in the longitudinal axial direction of the boat is greater than the combined depths of two adjacent grooves l3 whereas its section transverse to the longitudinal axis of the boat is not greater than the width of the grooves. A lateral extension or flap 15 extends from the strand l4 toward the interior of the boat in a suitable recess of the end face of at least one flange and is connected to one flange to avoid loss of the packing when the boat is disassembled.

As seen in Fig. 7, nut portions I! are provided on the inside of the web portion of one of the flanges II for receiving the threaded ends it of bolts 16 which extend from the adjacent flange ll through apertures in the flap l5 and in the web portion of the flange provided with the nut portions ll. The bolts are axially slidable in sleeves I8 which are removably attached to flange II and are separately shown in Fig. 8. The sleeves have a neck portion l9 terminating in an outwardly extending rim 29 at one end and can be compressed radially due to the provision of diametrically opposed slots 2| to permit insertion in suitable apertures in the web portion of flange II'. Upon release of the radial compression, the neck portion I9 abuts the interior of the aperture, axial movement of the sleeve being prevented by the rim 26 at one end and a shoulder 22 at the other end of the neck portion. The far end of sleeve I8 isclosed .exceptdor an-apert ure-to forrn' a throat through which extends thebolt I 6.5, The .10 latter has a collar 24 preventing removal of the bolt from the sleeve I8 unless the portions of the; sleeve divided by the slots 2! are bent far apart When it is desired to remove a sleeve with its bolt from a cross rib formed by twoadjscent;iianges lo the bolt must be unscrewed from the nut portion I1 and moved all the way to the right-in Fig'a -7- to permit radial compression of the sleeve For connecting adjacent flanges, the neck portions of the. sleeves are inserted into holes in one flange and the bolts aremoved to the left and screwed into, the nut means .I? of the adja cent flangeand tightened thereinto and against lock washers ZE by applying a suitable key to the square ends 23' of the bolts. Ihe threaded ends 25 I6flof the bolts It .are preferably provided with a point to iacilitate insertion of the bolts into the apertures ofthe flange I i and intotheir respective nuts. When the boat is disassembled, the, threaded end of the bolt is in the sleeve I8 and protected against dirt and damage.

ecause of the aforedescribed configuration of the packing I4, the end faces of the fiangesj I and. I I abut qneanotherppon tighteningof thejoints and all mechanical stresses are abserbed by the, cross ribs .and connecting bolts the: packings are used exclusively fory caulki gand do not trans-. mitf mechanical forces, Instead of providing a pa liln ..,groov e on each of twoadjacent flanges,

a correspondingly deepergroove may be provided on the end face of one flange only, withoutde; parting from the scope of the presentinvention.. It is impgrtant,.l1owever, that the depth of. the groove bejsmallerthan the thickness of the ,pack-. ing inthedirection of the longitudinal axis ofthe boat and that the groove besubstantially as wide asthe packing.

Forfacilitating transportation of the disassem bledboatpthe individual sections are-so formed that, they can benested, one into another, The. boat is preferably shaped symmetric with respect, to acentraltransverse plane, the bowhalf and 4 the stern half comprising an equalnumber, of. transverse sections which, when nested, form two.

conveniently transportable-units. If the bow. part 551 is notsymmetric to the stern part, the secti0ns.- can be so made that all sections can be nested to formpnetransportableunit. The latter embodiment is more expensive and the transportable unit is heavier than ifthe stern and bowparts form. symmetric halves ofthe boat. v

All individual sections have thesame 1ength,an cl,,, their end faces are located in planeswhenthe. sections are nested'for transport. AsJshown in Figs. 9 and 10, locking tie means are provided comprising fiat members 26v placed over theend. facesof thenested sections, each member having. a plurality of studs fitting into the holes of the, flanges, for holding the sections in predetermined.

positionsand in spaced relation to one another .70-

for avoidingdamage during transport. A belt '28. is laid along the. outside .of members 26 and around a unit of nestedsections. The ends ofthe. belt are connected by a conventional beltbuckle 29:- Additional belts or straps may. be.provided.75:

4 in the conventional manner for carrying a unit or pack on the back of a person.

To avoid removal of bolts I 6 and sleeves I8 from the flanges to make room for the studs 21, members 26 may be provided with holes and the bolts I6 may be used for connecting the flanges to the fiat members 26. The latter may be sufiiciently large to cover entirely the end faces of the nested units-, --if-:desired Instead of studs z'i pr oturberances may .be-. .provided ornamembers. 25 extending between the flanges and acting as spacers.

' By omitting the two central sections 5 and 6 of thetvvo seater boat illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a one-sea-tcr boat, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is obtained Since .the individual sections taper toward the ends of the boat, the greatest width of thaboataccordingto'Figs. 3 and 4 is smaller than that of -the boat shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A'boat seating four persons in a row, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, may be obtained by insertingade ditional sections 29,8973! and Fill-between sections 5 and 6 :of the boatshown in Figs. l and. 2. The hullof the additional sections preferably extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boat, as otherwise the boat would become too Wide.

Individual sections of a boat accordingto the invention may be replaced by sections compris ing propulsion means. In the modification shown in Fig, l1, section 8 of the boat accordingtoFigs. l and 2 is replaced by section, 33'havin'g a motorfid mounted therein drivingby means of a sh ait;35, which is located in the longitudinal median plane of the boat, a propellerv 3671 For assuring good propelling efiiciency, shaft 35 is diverted only slightly ,from the longitudinal axis of the boat. It

is obvious that the location ofthemotor and,pro-.

peller in a boat according to the inventionflissu: perior to the conventional mounti on the side,

of a boat or at the stern which isinaccessiblein. a kayak-type boat. The motor of the boat accord-.

ing to the invention is easily accessible, and is 1 o-, cated so loyv and close to the center, of ,theboat, that its weight improves stability.

Inthe ernbodiment shown in Fig, 12, ,the.sec-,

tion 4 of the two-seatershown in Figs. 1 and .2.

is replaced .biha section 3 3', comprising. a retract.-

able .centerboard 38fand mountings for a mast 39 for rigginga jib/ifijand a mainsail 4I-. A rudder 42 is mounted on the stern section I! or may; be connected with an intermediate section in con-.-

ventionalmanner.

Preferably, theends of at .leastthe bow and sternrsectionsare. closed hermetically to provide,

buoyancy if the vboat capsizes.- The other.sec-

tionsare open atleast at one of their ends to. provide accessibility to the connecting means, as the bolts as- The open ends may be closedy.

removable bulkheads.

Whilel believe the above described embodiments of .my invention. tobe preferred embodi-.

mental wish it ,to be understood that I do not desire. tobelimitedto theexact details of design and construction shown and. described, f0r,-obvious modifications will occurto a person skilled- .in theart.

I claim: l. .A, sectional ,boatcomprisinge plurality of individual transverse sections, flange means at 1 theapertures of and connected-with oneofthe :adlacentfiangemeans, said sleeve means having I a threat at the end opposite the end having the neck portion, a bolt in each of said sleeve means having one end extending outside of the sleeve means through said throat, the other end of said bolt being threaded and extending outside of the sleeve means through the end having the neck portion, a collar on said bolt inside said sleeve means, said collar having an outside diameter greater than the diameters of said throat and of said neck portion and preventing removal of said bolt from said sleeve means, and internally threaded portions connected with and adjacent to the apertures of the flange means adjacent to the flange means into the apertures of which the sleeve means are inserted, said internally threaded portions individually receiving the threaded ends of said bolts.

ii. A sectional boat as set forth in claim 1, the ends of said sleeve means which are individually inserted with their neck portions in the apertures of one of said. flange means having an outwardly extending rim preventing withdrawal of the sleeve means from the apertures in which they are inserted.

3. A sectional boat as set forth in claim 2, having an axial slot in each sleeve means extending from the end having the neck portion and aifording compression of the necked end portion for insertion and removal of the sleeve means into and from the apertures.

i. A sectional boat comprising a plurality of individual transverse sections, flange means at the ends or each section, a groove in at least one of two adjacent flange means of two neighboring sections when the boat is assembled, and a packing strand laid in said groove, said strand hav ing a lateral projection extending outside of said groove and bein permanently connected with one of said. flange means,

HANSJORG ENGENSPERGER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 764,473 Kilgore July 5, 1964 1,568,486 Von Waldy Jan. 5, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 28,743 Great Britain of 1897 695,493 France Dec. 17, 1930 744,088 France Apr. 11, 1933 794,423 France Feb. 17, 1936 

